There is something within us all that truly appreciates good food photography. It brings us to a point of hunger, salivating at just the thought of taking a deep bite into that juicy little morsel of tasty goodness. For some, food photography is simply appreciated because of its ability to do just that—incite desire in even the most satisfied of individuals. For others, however, food photography reaches beyond this and becomes an exquisite art form, similar in style to other product development photography. If your blog, kitchen walls, or latest graphic design project calls for a few images of food, here are several, simple, do-able bits of advice for successful food photography.

1. Keep it bright: While a dimly lit restaurant setting may be more romantic, a brightly lit plate is more appetizing. Photograph your food dishes on white plates, table cloths, bowls, trays, etc. and do so using a bright, natural lighting—such as the morning light flooding onto your breakfast room table. White porcelain objects act as their own light reflectors, and this natural lighting is a perfectly affordable option for providing the initial lighting. When photographed in this lighting, even a common trail mix or plate of cookies can seem like an artistic wonder.

 2. Keep it low: Typically (but not always), food dishes look best when photographed from the level (and not bird’s-eye-view) of the food. In other words, bring your camera down to the level of your table and photograph your food from the height at which a small child might see it. Not only does this viewpoint provide a more artistic appearance to your work, but it also can allow you to capture the photograph with a more defined focal point. The combination of a clearly intentional focal point and an artistic angle work together to bring out the intricate details of your food dish. (Check out these lovely photographs of tacos or plates of asparagus salad for inspiration on these points.)

 3. Keep it colorful: Nobody finds a black and white food dish appetizing; while they might appreciate the artistic qualities of such a monochromatic photograph, an appeal to hunger will simply not exist in this photograph. With this in mind, always try to add a little pop of color to even your most blandly colored food dishes when photographing them. For example, the addition of the bright purple flower to this photograph of an Italian almond and apple cake transforms the calmly colored cake into an eye-catching masterpiece. Whether your whole dish is colorful or if you have to add a small splash of color via the table decorations, keeping a “bit o’ bright” in your food photography will keep your dishes appetizing to even the pickiest of eaters.